Justice News

Boston Man Sentenced for Role in 2016 Kidnapping

BOSTON – A Dorchester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a 2016 kidnapping.

Ban Tran, a/k/a “Bo,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to eight months in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a fine of $5,000. On Nov. 14, 2018, Tran pleaded guilty to misprision of kidnapping.

Co-defendants Vinh Quang Huynh, Quang PT Le, and Kim Nguyen previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping, conspiracy to collect extensions of credit, and illegal gambling business. On May 8, 2018, Le was sentenced to six years in prison. Huynh and Nguyen have not yet been sentenced.

Tran was originally charged with kidnapping; however, as part of a plea agreement with the government, Tran pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging misprision of kidnapping.

On Nov. 14, 2016, Le, who was armed with a knife, and others, kidnapped a victim from in front of the victim’s residence, drove the victim to Dorchester, and beat the victim in an attempt to collect a gambling debt of $40,000. Le and others drove the victim home and demanded a payment of $10,000 the next day. Tran was present during the beating and followed the kidnappers in his car in an attempt to hide the kidnapping. The next day, the victim went to law enforcement and, under the direction of law enforcement officers, made a series of controlled, recorded payments to Le. Over the course of eight months, the victim made payments totaling $22,350 to Le. In August 2017, law enforcement arrested Le and others before the last payment was due.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan made the announcement today. The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston and Massachusetts Department of Correction assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.